


20. Protective

by love_write_edit_sleep



Series: Child's Play (DBH 31 Fic Challenge) [20]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: (I Made Myself Cry), Also this fic determines Hank's fate, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Arguing, Connor is not very nice in this one, Crying, Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-07-03 10:58:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15817509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/love_write_edit_sleep/pseuds/love_write_edit_sleep
Summary: Don’t ever pick on Richard’s family, not unless you wanna go up against a 3ft 7 kid android or a pissed off tsundere asshole.AKA: The one where everyone cries.





	20. Protective

 

**** When Gavin and Richard arrived at the DPD, they had not expected to see Matthew there standing aimlessly at Connor’s desk.

“Hey, Math… This isn’t usually your scene.” Gavin smiled as Richard made grabby hands at Matthew. The android smiled and took the child, balancing him on his hip.

“I know. Connor was reluctant to leave me after what happened on the bridge, so he brought me to work with him.” Matthew explained. Gavin shrugged.

“I don’t blame him. I mean, I brought Richard… I’m surprised Fowler allowed it though.”

“He did not.” Matthew indicated to Fowler’s office, where Connor was clearly arguing with said Officer.

“Oh.”

“They have been arguing for 20 minutes.”

“Yikes… Connor’s in a bad mood today then, huh?” Gavin asked with a chuckle. Matthew’s LED flickered yellow briefly before switching back.

“It would appear.” Gavin wordlessly took Richard back from Matthew, lowering the boy to the floor and kneeling in front of him. 

“Go sit at the desk for a sec okay? I’ll be 2 minutes.”

“Okay.” Richard beamed before running off. Gavin stood and turned back to Matthew, who’s LED was yellow again.

“What’s with the light show? You okay?” Gavin asked. Matthew nodded. “You sure?”

“Connor is just worried.” Matthew whispered. “He is stressed.”

“Are you worried about him or yourself?” Gavin asked carefully.

“Him.” Matthew forced a smile. “I am fine.”

“Alright.” Gavin bought it. “I’m right over there if you need anything, okay?”

“Alright, thank you, Gavin. How is your head?” Matthew asked, indicating to a bright yellow plaster on Gavin’s forehead that Richard had insisted on putting over the stitches.

“I got the worse headache but meh, I’m alive so…”

“Fowler has agreed to- Oh, hello, Gavin.”

“Hey, Con. You don’t look so great, you okay?” Gavin asked, taking note of Connor’s red LED. Connor nodded, turning back to Matthew.

“Fowler has agreed that you can stay if you sit at Hank’s desk and don’t touch anything. If you see anything confidential I will be suspended.” Connor muttered before moving around to his own desk before Matthew could respond. Matthew turned back to Gavin with a lost expression.

“Hey, it’s okay… He’s just tired, he’ll get over it soon. If he gives you a hard time, just sit with us.”

“Okay. Thank you.” Matthew nodded before turning to sit at Hank’s desk. Gavin watched him and Connor for a moment, watching as Connor reached over and took Matthew’s hand in his, kissing it softly and muttering an apology.

Satisfied, Gavin sat at his own desk.

“Here, I put some stuff in the bag for you.” Gavin passed the rucksack over to Richard, who giggled and rummaged through it. He beamed when he found a pack of thirium candies. Gavin rolled his eyes with a smirk. “You can have three. The rest are for after lunch.”

“T’ank you, Gabin!”

“Whatever.” Gavin chuckled.

* * *

An hour later, Tina arrived for her shift. She laughed when she saw Gavin.

“You get in another fight?” She asked with a snigger, poking the plaster on Gavin’s head.

“Ow, you bitch!” Gavin hissed. 

“Get off!” Tina and Gavin looked down to see Richard between them both, trying with all his might to push Tina away. “He nearly died! Stop being mean!”

“You and Richard get a kid?” Tina asked.

“No, he is Richard. I thought I told you.” Gavin muttered as Richard clambered up onto his lap. Tina blinked.

“Oh, shit, yeah. I forgot about that.”

“Don’t touch Gabin again or I’ll… I’ll tell Fowler you’we being mean!” Richard crossed his arms.

“Hey, kid, I was just-”

“I don’t cawe if ‘you wewe just’ anything!” Richard snarled. “Gabin has been huwt too much, I’m not letting anyone else huwt him again!” 

“Richard-”

“No, Gabin!”

“Richard, I’m fine.” Gavin chuckled. “She was just messing. It’s okay.”

“But-”

“I’m fine.” Gavin pulled the child into his arms, hugging him tight.

“Agh! Gabin, put me down! I’m supposed to be pwotecting you!” Richard cried.

“How can I put you down when you’re so damn cute?” Gavin chuckled, tipping Richard upside-down suddenly. Richard squealed, bursting into laughter and melting the hearts of every officer in the room, Tina included.

* * *

The station was in one of those rare moments of blissful and productive silence. Everyone was busy. Connor and Gavin were typing away, Matthew was observing quietly, and Richard was doodling. The only sounds to be heard were the tap-tapping of fingers on keyboards, the scribbling of felt pens on paper, and the occasional cough or sniff.

_ “I am going to prepare coffee, would you like anything?”  _

Gavin looked up to see Matthew walking around to each bullpen, asking every officer if they wanted something. He then turned his attention to Connor, who was slouched over his desk, LED red, typing furiously. Gavin wondered if he should go over and say something to him.

“I am going to prepare coffee, would you like anything?” Matthew asked, blinking down at him. Gavin smiled.

“You’re a lifesaver, Math. I’ll have a coffee. Richard, you want anything?”

“Can I habe a thiwium dwink, pwease?” Richard asked.

“Of course. It will be approximately 5 minutes.” Matthew smiled before heading to the break-room. Gavin turned back to his computer, while Richard turned back to his drawings.

“What're you drawing?” Gavin asked. Richard’s LED flickered red as he looked away.

“A bad dweam…”

“You had a bad dream? You didn’t tell me.”

“Didn’t wanna bother you.”

“Hey, you’re not bothering me with anything. Can I see?”

“Not yet.”

“Okay, can I see when it’s finished?”

“Okay. But don’t get mad.”

“I won’t.” Gavin promised. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

“You sure?” Before Richard could answer, Matthew placed a coffee and a Thirium pouch onto the desk.  “Thanks, bud.” Gavin smiled. Matthew smiled back and went off to give everyone else their coffee.  “You sure you’re okay?” Gavin asked again, watching as Richard frantically scribbled on the pages. Richard nodded. “Okay…” Gavin gave in. Richard clearly wasn’t going to talk anymore.

Out the corner of his eye, Gavin noticed Connor stand abruptly from his desk and take Matthew by the arm, whispering something and pulling him into the breakroom. Who knew what they were doing.

“I don’t have a straw…” Richard muttered, looking at his pouch in disappointment. “I’m gonna go get one, okay?”

“Okay.” Gavin nodded, hoping to catch a glimpse of Richard’s drawings while he was gone, but the child folded the drawings and pocketed it before leaving. Gavin sighed, watching Richard go.

* * *

_ “I‘m already losing Hank, I nearly lost you too because you’re careless!” _

_ “Connor, your stress levels-” _

_ “Stop talking about my fucking stress levels!” _

Richard gasped as he hovered outside the breakroom, silently watching Connor and Matthew. Both androids LEDs were bright red.

“But-”

“No! Just… Just shut up, Matthew, you have no idea what I’m feeling!” Connor cried, his hands gripping his hair.

“Then show me-”

“Shut up!” Connor cried, suddenly pushing Matthew away. “You don’t care, do you? You don’t fucking care about how I’d feel if anything happened to you! You’re so fucking selfish, Matthew! What if you’d died yesterday? What if you’d left me like Hank has?!”

Matthew said nothing.

“Maybe marrying you is a bad idea! Maybe I shouldn’t have a family, families hurt too much! Why did I  _ ever  _ think marrying you was a good idea!”

As soon as Richard saw the tears on Matthew’s face, he turned and ran straight back to Gavin’s desk.

“Maffew’s cwying.”

“What?” Gavin stood abruptly.

“Con-Con’s shouting and Maffew’s cwying. Maffew won’t fight back.”

A crash from the break room had Gavin running before he could even think about what he was doing. He skidded to a halt at the sight that greeted him.

“Matthew, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” Connor was crouching over Matthew, who sat on the floor beside a fallen table, a frightened expression on his face as Connor tried to reach him. “Matthew, I’m sorry.”

“Get away from him!” Gavin scowled, grabbing Connor by the back of his shirt and yanking him up. He slammed the RK800 into the wall opposite, growling at him. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing!? If you fucking love someone you don’t fucking raise a hand against ‘em and push ‘em around!” 

“I-I know, I’m sorry-”

“Don’t fucking talk to me!” Gavin snarled, releasing Connor before turning to Matthew. The AP700 looked fucking heartbroken, his knees drawn to his chest as he tried to stop his tears. Richard watched nervously, not knowing what to do. “Are you hurt?”

“No…”

“Don’t fucking lie to me, Math, what happened?” Matthew looked up at Gavin, then at Connor. 

“Nothing.”

“Connor, get the fuck out.” Gavin spat, not looking up at him. Connor nodded and left, knowing he wasn’t going to be much help. Gavin sighed, sitting beside Matthew and pulling close, allowing Matthew to rest his head on his shoulder. “I need to know what happened, Math.”

“He did not mean it.” Matthew whispered.

“I’m sure he didn’t, but that doesn’t excuse anything.” Gavin sighed, rubbing Matthew’s arm in an attempt to comfort him. “No-one, especially those who love you, is allowed to hurt you like this. What happened?” 

“He was upset that I nearly died on the bridge.” Matthew shivered. “He was angry that I chose to remain in the car rather than save myself. He said I was selfish and careless. I-I was just trying to do the right thing.”

“Damn straight, I nearly died, you saved my life; Mine and Richard’s. You weren’t even supposed to be there.”

“I do not want to think about that…” Matthew wiped his eyes with his sleeve, but it did nothing to stop the tears. “He believes I do not love him because I did not consider his feelings…”

“Bullshit, Matthew, you did what you had to, he’s got no right to be upset about that. He wasn’t there. In that moment, it was you, me and Richard.” Matthew blinked, looking down. 

“What aren’t you telling me, Math?”

“He… said he does not know why he thought marrying me was a good idea…”

“He what?!” Gavin almost left the room to punch the RK800 but he knew he was needed where he was. Richard, unnoticed, left the room. “Fuck, Math, he’s such an asshole.”

“I know what he meant… He does not want to marry me because he does not want to face the possibility of losing me. He also said he did not want a family because they hurt too much.”

“That’s not an excuse, Math, he can’t say shit like that to you.”

“I do not understand why he is upset with me…” Matthew suddenly choked, looking up at Gavin. “I do not understand, I did the right thing, I know I did!”

“I know, Math, it’s okay, I know you did…” Gavin whispered, pulling the sobbing android close. 

He was gonna fucking kill Connor.

* * *

When Connor saw Richard approaching, he knew he was in trouble.

“Richard-”

“I’m not gonna yell at you but I need to talk to you.” Richard whispered, climbing up onto Connor’s lap. He pulled his drawings out his pocket and flattened them out on the table. “I had this dweam last night.” Richard started, scanning his own pictures. 

One drawing showed Gavin and Richard holding hands, Richard a child and Gavin with a smile on his face. 

The next drawing showed Richard and Gavin, but Richard was an adult and Gavin was walking away, leaving Richard in the CyberLife truck he was drawn in.

The final drawing showed the CyberLife truck falling off the bridge they’d crossed the day before.

“I don’t wanna be an adult again bebause Gabin’s not gonna like me anymowe, and… It huwts my heawt…” Richard’s eyes welled with tears, “But he knows all me secwets now and he’s gonna think I’m stupid and send me back to CyberWife and he won’t wanna mawwy me and it’s huwting my heawt…”

“Richard-”

“I don’t think Maffew should habe saved me…” Richard sniffed. “I-I don’t wanna be hewe when Gabin says he doesn’t love me no more… And I don’t want Maffew to feel like this… Don’t huwt Maffew’s heawt…” Richard broke down. “Maffew’s good… Don’t huwt his heawt…” 

Connor sat in stunned silence, pulling the sobbing android close. He knew he had some serious making up to do.

* * *

When Matthew had finally calmed down, Gavin summoned Connor back to the breakroom. After handing Richard over to Gavin, he wasted no time before throwing his arms around Matthew and breaking down against him.

“I-I’m so sorry, Matthew…” Connor whispered, holding Matthew as tight as he could. “I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean any of it, I promise…”

“I know…” Matthew smiled, embracing Connor in return. “You are having a difficult time, it is alright… But I did the right thing on the bridge and I think you know that.”

“I know, I know, you saved my family, Matthew, I shouldn’t have shouted at you or pushed you… I’m so sorry.”

“It is alright now.”

“Connor, I know you were pissed and we love you and understand, but you’re not allowed to do that again. Ever. You understand?” Gavin asked. Connor nodded.

“I understand.”

“Good.” Gavin approached Connor, whispering into his ear. “I love you and all, but I honestly hope the look on Matthew’s face when you pushed him haunts you.”

Connor wasn’t quick enough to tell him it already had.

* * *

“Con-Con said I need to show you my dwawings…” Richard broke the silence. Gavin looked up from his desk at the child. “While you were helping Maffew; He said he’s wowwied so I need to show you. He made me pwomise.”

“He did?” Gavin glanced over to Connor’s desk, when he sat with Matthew on his lap, laughing at something they’d seen on the computer. “Is it okay if I see?”

“Do you pwomise not to be mad?” Richard asked, eyes wet with tears. Gavin nodded.

“Yeah, I promise.”

“Okay.” Richard whispered, taking his drawings out his pocket and opening them up before handing them to Gavin.

“This one’s cute.” Gavin smiled at the drawing of him and kid Richard holding hands. He turned to the next drawing, his smile fading. “Hey, what’s happening here?” He asked softly. Richard sniffed.

“You don’t want me anymowe so you’we sending me back to CyberWife.” 

“What…?” Gavin would be lying if he said his heart hadn’t shattered in his chest. “Richard, why wouldn’t I want you?”

“Bebause I’ll be an adult again.” Richard whispered. “And you won’t like me bebause you know my secwets and think I’m stupid.”

“Richard, I…” Gavin caught the final drawing, of the CyberLife truck going over the bridge. “What does this one mean?”

“I-it means I wish I’d died bebause I don’t wanna be alive when you don’t want me anymowe…” Richard burst into tears. “I don’t wanna…”

“Stop it, come here.” Gavin whispered, his own eyes burning as the kid waddled over to his side of the desk. Gavin pulled him up onto his lap and held him tight as the child trembled. “I’m never not going to want you, do you understand?”

“But-”

“No, listen to me.” Gavin choked. “I love you, kid or adult. I love you so fucking much, Richard. I don’t wanna live my life without you. Do- Do you remember this?” Gavin reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar box, opening it to reveal the ring he’d bought for Richard before this had all happened.

“I dwopped it in the sink.”

“It’s yours, Richard.” Gavin whispered, ignoring the tears that rolled down his face. “It’s fucking yours because I intend on marrying you as soon as I fucking can. It’s your fucking ring, I- You- Fuck…” Gavin broke down, his wrist against his forehead as he openly sobbed as he took in the fact the poor kid believed he was going to throw him away as soon as he was back to normal.

“Gabin, don’t cwy…” Richard whimpered. “Pwease don’t cwy…”

“I’m not gonna throw you away, you hear me?” Gavin whispered. “I love you, no matter what.”

“I-I know… It was just a bad dweam.”

“That’s right.” Gavin nodded, rubbing Richard’s back. “Just a bad dream.” 

* * *

_ “Hank, I’ve made a lot of mistakes recently… I’m irrational and angry and I took it out on Matthew and I don’t know what to do. You always know what to do. What do I do, Dad? _

_ Richard is having bad dreams, Gavin is struggling, I don’t know what to do anymore… Everything is a mess and I don’t know how to fix things. I want things to go back to the way they were, Hank! I just- _

_ Hank…? Hank, oh, god… Nurse! Nurse, I need help! Nurse!” _

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I'm so sorry don't hate me >.<


End file.
